Cannabis supporters get out message in Lewes
Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network members stood in front of the Lewes Post Office April 29 trying to garner support from passersby for a bill legalizing marijuana in Delaware.
House Bill 110, titled the Delaware Marijuana Control Act, would establish a regulatory infrastructure similar to the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement. There would be a commissioner to regulate, tax and distribute marijuana legally in Delaware. The bill would create a marijuana regulation fund, which would consist of taxes collected on marijuana, license fees paid by marijuana businesses, and any fines imposed on them.
As proposed, retail stores, testing facilities, cultivation facilities, and manufacturing facilities would need to apply for licenses to operate in the marijuana industry. Applicants would pay a fee of up to $5,000 for a license and a $10,000 biennial fee for each license.
The bill also would create an excise tax of: $50 per ounce on marijuana flowers, $15 per ounce on all other parts of the marijuana plant, and $25 per immature marijuana plant.
Unlike the eight states that have already legalized cannabis, Delaware does not have ballot initiatives, which means any bill to legalize cannabis must pass through the General Assembly and be signed by the governor.
The bill was introduced March 30 and has yet to be heard in committee.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
